Bird-watching...

31 August 2025: With a frequency and intensity that is almost too much, given their intense beauty against the blue sky, the goldfinches have returned to my birdfeeders, having been absent since the early spring. They join the most common birds regularly convening there: red finches, cardinals, and (to a lesser extent) black-headed chickadees. 

The girls are pleased and every once in a while even manage to share window space to watch them. This late-summer snapshot of a Sunday morning makes me smile.

Department get-together...

30 August 2025: Enjoyed a really lovely get-together with my colleagues at Keith's house this evening. Our department looks different this year--three new folks and some folks who have left--but it's still a good group and I am lucky to work with them.

One week down...

29 August 2025: All in all, a good first week where (again!) the best part was (of course!) the students and that time in the classroom. In between classes, annoying emails and university b.s. put me in a funk. Then I stepped into Knutti 202 and all that slipped away.

Hiding...

28 August 2025: Someone ran out the front door today and then tried to hide. Or perhaps she just appreciates the new views, too.

Late August blooms...

27 August 2025: It's been dry here again and I am having to water the front bushes, which are still young and vulnerable. When I got home this evening and started watering, I found myself so pleased again with how well this flower bed has turned out. The annuals are thriving. They started out as tiny plants in cell packs and look at them now! The bushes are doing well, too. I am obsessed with the butterfly bushes. I can't say enough about how much this long-delayed landscaping change pleases me.

Day Two...

26 August 2025: Co-taught the opening session of GWST 201 today, which went quite well, as it usually does. We get the greatest variety of cool students in that course. The rest of the day flew by too quickly, with administrative and other kinds of work sucking up a lot of time. Silly me thought I'd have time for writing. Oh well--at least we've got a long weekend coming. 

Another "day one"...

25 August 2025: Hard to think of another Day One where the divide between the awesomeness of the classroom sits in stark contrast to the bullshit everywhere else. But that awesomeness--and seeing busy hallways and my terrific colleagues again--tips the scales on the side of "good" for today.

And, like the end of so many other Day Ones, I am exhausted.

Here comes year 26...

 24 August 2025: About a week ago, I realized that I taught my first college class in August 2000, I had a milestone coming up: about to start Year 25 of teaching. Then--like just tonight--I realized I missed the milestone. Last year was the start of Year 25.

I remember the day of that first class so clearly. Got to campus early. All dressed up. Anxious as heck in the parking garage beforehand. Such a kid! 

So...year 26. Not as flashy, but still something to mark. 

Hats

23 August 2025: My dad turned 79 today. When I saw him earlier this week, I gave him his birthday gifts, which included this hat.

I had my eyes on it for him for a couple of years, but finally decided this was the year. First, it's just cool looking...subtle and fun. And I love the idea of stuff that positions him as a dad and not just a grandfather (well, an opa, technically). 

He seems to like it, too, and mentioned I had given him a dad hat before--when I was really little. I didn't remember that, sure enough, last night he sent me photo evidence (including pictures of two other hats I've given him over the years).

When I talked to him today, I said, "Well, you know I've always loved a baseball hat" and he laughed.

Like his new hat says, he's just a cool dad. 

Convocation 2025...

22 August 2025: We met the class of 2025 and our transfer students today. Always a long, busy, and exciting day. One more weekend and then it's the new academic year...

Professional Development Day

21 August 2025: Today was the second annual professional development day for faculty. Once again, the best part was seeing my peers and getting more evidence of how superb they are. Long day, but gratifying.

Family visit

20 August 2025: Got to spend some time today with my parents, Erin, Krista, and Isla. We celebrated my dad's 79th birthday a few days early, too.

A touch of procrastination...

19 August 2025: I had intended to get some more writing done on my portion of the Year's Work essay today, but ended up telling myself it was okay a) instead focus more on other little work-related tasks and b) once those were done, just not work anymore for the day. I've got, not counting weekends, about one more day of break left, so this little indulgence feels okay. 

The writing will get done--and likely much more easily when the regular rhythm of the semester kicks in. 

Getting the classrooms ready...

18 August 2025: Tim and I spent some time today checking on the second-floor classrooms in Knutti, making sure everything is ready for Monday. We are (mostly) there, but we probably tried out four configurations of tables and chairs in one classroom before finally getting it right--or right enough until we hear otherwise. We were joking about all of this "other duties as assigned" work, but that is kind of the Shepherd way. 

One more week...

17 August 2025: Classes start a week from tomorrow. I am mostly ready. I miss the students. But there is always a melancholy lurking for me this time of year--particularly this week or so before it all starts. Sunday evenings, of course, multiply the melancholy. 

Grateful for the good parts I am looking forward to, the fact that the heat broke a couple of hours ago, spaghetti for dinner, Bob's Burgers reruns on the TV, and a decent book waiting for me to get back to it.

And, as always, for Veronica and Jo. 

Zoom hang...

16 August 2025: What an absolute blast it was to do a Zoom hang-out with Vogel and our grad school friend Deidre today. These two women are so cool and funny and it felt almost like we were in the same room at times.  

East of Wall

15 August 2025: Went into East of Wall knowing nothing about it except that it had good reviews and that I really liked a couple of actors in it. What a beautiful film--in every sense of the word! 

New role...

14 August 2025: The last month or so has involved a lot of personnel work in the English program, with one colleague moving on to a new school and a flurry of work to replace him and staff his classes. That has meant--among other things--that I am now taking on the role of Coordinator of Rhetoric and Composition (with a course release). 

In that capacity, I've been helping Tim, the new department chair, with adjunct hiring and training. So, in the past couple of weeks, I've gotten to meet some great new folks who will be teaching for us. 

It's a minor miracle to get a quality teacher--especially at the last minutes, especially given what we pay--for composition classes. But we have received three of those miracles this summer. I met with the last hire, a really impressive young woman named Ali, for the first time in person today. She's great. It was so much fun to talk to her, too, about teaching and her syllabus. 

The new role will mean new work and it won't all be smooth sailing, but I am looking forward to a lot of it. 

Buddy Birthday Lunch

13 August 2025: Best part of the day? Having a birthday lunch with Hannah at Kome. Hard to decide which gift I love more: the winter hat that Cory made for me or the little picture of Theo in his Yankee outfit that I hung right on my fridge. 

48

12 August 2025: It's been a very nice birthday: quiet day mostly at home with Jo and Veronica, lovely calls and messages from friends and family, and then a fun night at trivia. Those folks really made me smile. A couple of teams brought cards or sweets. Someone gave me balloons and flowers from her yard. And they all sang, which made me blush and smile. Feeling very blessed.

New tires...

11 August 2025: Spent most of the morning at the dealership, including getting new tires. Kind of hard to believe how long I've had the car. I managed to get a bunch of little tasks done (emails, emails, emails) and even a bit of writing for the Year's Work essay. 

The best part, though, was getting to catch up with Emma. She just always impresses the heck out of me. We talked a bit about how she's in a kind of "women in leadership" class/group with Subaru and how it feels to move through a male-dominated space (not all bad!). We could have talked for hours, I think, but she was, of course, at work. Still delighted to have seen her. 

Jo at three...

10 August 2025: Josephine March Hanrahan is three years old today. She's a total joy and a bundle of mischief and love. 

Weapons

9 August 2025: I really enjoyed Weapons, a completely original movie that you should just settle into, confident that you have no idea where it's going, but you are in good hands. It's scary and gross and sad and moving and funny. It knows just how much detail to give to let you know what you need to know. And the ending? Most other movies would add an extra scene or beat or something. This one, though? Perfect. 

Home again...

8 August 2025: Had breakfast with Vogel before we both hit the road. Drove home filled with gratitude for such a meaningful friendship. 

Back to "normal" now...

Megaliths...

7 August 2025:

[Catch-up post...]

On Wednesday, I asked a shopkeeper for recommendations of places we should be sure to see. She told us about this park with megaliths and we figured "sure" and added it to our list of things to do on Thursday. (I am not linking to it because they seem a bit strict about how you post pictures and I want to respect that!)

What a cool place! We walked and wandered. We stopped and sat in the woods for a bit and just talked. I tease* Vogel about her interest in "energy" and all that, but being in this space on that day? I kind of get it. 

*just a bit! it's more that she assumes I am teasing her!

Together again...

6 August 2025: 

[Catch-up post...]

Closed out my summer break travel with quick get-together with Vogel in the Poconos. Hard to think of many people who know me more, understand me better, or mean as much to me.

Little campus tour...

5 July 2025: Spent a tiny part of today giving a new adjunct a quick tour of campus. At each stop, it was so cool to see people who I am so fond of and introduce her to them. Working at Shepherd can be exhausting and hard and frustrating and heartbreaking, but the people? The best in the business. 

Lunch with Frank...

 4 August 2025: Had a bittersweet (but mostly sweet!) lunch with Frank, who graduated from our program a few years ago. He's been working at Shepherd as an admissions counselor, but is now moving onto a new place and a new position. 

He's such a good guy. I told him how clearly I remember meeting him and helping him make his first schedule when he started at Shepherd. He was so quiet and seemed shy. And he was far from home, having come from Puerto Rico to live with an aunt and uncle after Hurricane Maria. I worried if he would last. Each semester, there he was--still here and thriving. And when I had him in class for the first time? What an utter delight. 

It's been nice to have him around after he graduated, but I am also glad he's spreading his wings a bit and seeing what else the world offers. Low-key jealous of everyone who gets to meet him for the first time and learn what an absolute gem he is. 

Another summer Sunday...

3 August 2025: Another nice summer Sunday unrolling here today. Amy and I hit up an antique story in Frederick, had lunch at Lucky Corner, then walked through the big antique mall in Boonsboro. (We each bought exactly ONE small thing, but the browsing is the fun part.) Then a quick stop at Rock Hill Creamery. 

After I got home, I walked up to Food Lion to knock out some more steps and get a few things. And now (big surprise!), I'm watching Bob's Burgers and taking care of some little chores and tasks. 

The post-heat wave temperatures have been really lovely. Sitting here with the breeze blowing through the open windows is just one of my favorite things. 

Forever

2 August 2025: Slowly working my way through Forever on Netflix. I still have about an episode and a half to go, but it strikes me as a really beauitful show. 

The two kids at the heart of it are so sweet and swoony. They feel real. (A credit to the actors--and all the actors involved.) The parents also seem real and nuanced. They remind me of how hard it must be to love your kids so much yet have this wall that springs up when they reach adolescene. 

Little moments are skillfully realized, from the way the kids text each other (or not--lots of hot and cold at times!) to the confrontations between them and their parents. 

It's a slow and quiet show, the kind that sometimes get overlooked by larger audiences, but it really is a gem.  

Nostalgia machine...

1 August 2025: Amy and I saw the new Naked Gun movie tonight. I laughed a lot--so many dumb jokes!* An added bonus: the movie worked like a nostalgia machine for me, bringing me back to watching these movies with my siblings when we were kids. 

*One joke landed with a real thud for me, though; we do not to be dropping the r-word back into things.

A Midsummer Night's Dream

31 July 2025: 

[Catch-up post...]

I had a delightful time last night seeing A Midsummer Night's Dream last night at the Olney Theater. It was a production but on by Synetic Theatre (they do wordless shows--which are always very cool). It really was terrific--beautifully interpreted with great music, dancing, and lots of great comic moments/performances.

Tim organized the whole thing for a group that also included Kevin (of course!) and our new colleague Michael and his fiance.